Novellae on Talmudic topics by Rabbi Yehudah bar Shlomo HaKohen. Beck Press, Jerusalem, 1843. The title page bears a self-dedication handwritten by the Ra’ava”d Rabbi Yosef Yehoshua Kario, and there are glosses along the leaves of the book, also in his hand. The title page also bears an owner’s stamp from the first chief rabbi of Bnei Brak.
The book before us was gifted to Rabbi Yosef Yehoshua Kario, as is written on the title page in Chacham Kario’s hand; there are three lengthy scholarly glosses, also in his hand, on leaf 1. In addition, on the title page, there are owner’s stamps (slightly faded, yet clear), of the Polish gaon Rabbi Aryeh Mordechai Rabinowitz, direct paternal descendant of the Yehudi HaKadosh of Peshischa, later known as the first rabbi of Bnei Brak. This stamp is from the period he served as the rabbi of Karov, Poland.
The author, Rabbi Yehudah HaKohen [d. 1850] was a Kabbalist, one of the sages of the Beit-El yeshivah in Jerusalem. He was born to his father, the renowned Kabbalist Rabbi Shlomo HaKohen, in Jerusalem. He signed on various regulations and agreements [תקנות והסכמות]. His in-law was Rabbi Avraham Chaim Gagin. His disciples in Kabbalah included the wonder-worker Rabbi Nachum of Shadik, and his brothers. He left on a mission to North Africa in 1847, and passed away in Tunisia. He also authored Ashmoret HaBoker , which was published in Salonika in 1852.
Rabbi Yosef Yehoshua Kario [1807-1883] was the president of the Sephardic community in Jerusalem and its Av Beit Din. He was born in Jerusalem to Rabbi David Avraham Kario. He lived for a while in Hebron, and later moved to Jerusalem. Rabbis Yosef Rephael Uziel and Chaim Nissim Baruch served in his court. He signed on an agreement for the appointment Rabbi Yonah Moshe Navon to the position of Rishon LeTziyon. Chacham Kario was a son-in-law of Rabbi Moshe Yom Tov, and father-in-law of Rabbi Avraham Uziel (his granddaughter BatSheva married Rabbi Avraham Azriel. His great-grandson was Rabbi Moshe Azriel, and his great-great-grandson, Yosef Azriel). His work Bnei Yosef was published by Rabbi Avraham Azriel in Jerusalem in 1890, and also printed at the end of the second part of the book K’fi Aharon . He is eulogized in the book Avraham et Yado .
Rabbi Aryeh Mordechai Rabinowitz [1885-1955] was the first rabbi of Bnei Brak. He was born in the town of Karov in Poland to Rabbi Ya’akov Aharon, who served in the rabbinate of Ostrów, a Gustanin Chassid, and direct descendant of the Yehudi HaKadosh of Peshischa, through the Porisov dynasty. Rabbi Aryeh Mordechai was a son-in-law of Rabbi Yehonatan Eybeschütz (II), rabbi of Loshitz. He followed his steps in becoming a Chassid of Gur. He was one of the youngest rabbis ever; at the age of 16 he was appointed as rabbi of Kosov in Poland. During the Russo-Japanese war, he fled to Brisk and stayed for about a year with Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik. In 1913, Rabbi Aryeh Mordechai was appointed rabbi of Karov; the stamp before us is from that period. In 1924, he was one of the first group of immigrants to found Bnei Brak. Immediately upon his arrival, he was appointed rabbi of the colony. He resided on the hill near the entrance to the town. He hosted the Admo”r Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Alter at his home in 1927, when the latter arrived in the Land of Israel for a visit. Rabbi Aryeh Mordechai printed some of the responsa by his father-in-law in his book Tiferet Yehonatan and added his novellae there, entitled “Klil Tiferet.” He also printed the book Keter HaYehudi with the doctrine of his grandfather, the Yehudi HaKadosh, and the book Zechuta D’Avraham by his uncle, Rabbi Avraham of Porisov. He also composed a book called Karnei Re”em , with a large anthology of tales of wonder about the tzaddikim of Poland. There is a street in the Neve Achiezer neighborhood of Bnei Brak named for Rabbi Rabinowitz. (Refer also to: Aharon Sorosky’s “Mara D’Atra” in Bnei Brak: Tish’im Shanim HaRishonot: 1924-2014 and the Hamodia supplement from Elul 2014, pp. 28-30).
One of the earliest Jerusalem books. Sh. HaLevi, Sifrei Yerushalayim 10.
[3] 145 leaves, 28 cm.
Fine condition. Aging stains. Glue marks. Not bound.